Mt. Kailash, at 6714 m also known as Tise, Kailasa &
Kang Rinpoche(Jewel of the Snows), has since time immemorial
been celebrated in many Eastern cosmologies as Mt. Meru,
the axis mundi. And as the center of the physical &
metaphysical universe, Mt. Meru is sacred to the Buddhist,
Jains, the Hindus & the Bonpos. For the Hindus, the
mountain represents the seat of Lord Shiva; for the Buddhists,
a terrestrial projection of the cosmic mandala of Dhyani-Buddhas
& Boddhisatvas….The Wheel of Life; for the Bonpos,
Kailash was the sacred nine storey Swastika Mountain, upon
which the Bonpo founder Sherab alighted from heaven. Four
of the great rivers of the Indian subcontinent originates
from here: the Karnali, which feeds into the Ganges (south);
the Indus (north); the Sutlez (west) & the Brahmaputra
(Yarlung Tsangpo, east).
Tibet Travels & Tours offers special fixed trips to
Mt. Kailash & Lake Manasorovar to facilitate pilgrims
& foreign tourists. We are probably one of the few outfits
that provide Nepali Sherpa staff support for all of our
treks in Tibet so as to ensure similar high quality trek
services that exist in Nepal. All trips are planned to arrive
at Kailash on a full-moon day to obtain total & unhindered
view of the holy mountain.
| Day to Day Itinerary |
| Day
01 |
KATHMANDU-LHASA (3650 M), 90 KMS
Transfer to airport to connect CA 408 KTM-LXA flight.
Upon arrival you will be met by our Tibet representative
and transfer to Kyichu Hotel. |
| Day 02 -03 |
Lhasa
We will have two full days in Lhasa to make excursions
to the following places:
The Jokhang-The Jokhang is the principal and holiest
Buddhist temple in Lhasa, as well as all of Tibet.
It is the focus of devotion of hundreds of Tibetans
from near and far who circle it to gain spiritual
merit. The Jokhang was first constructed in the 7th
century and has a large gold image of Sakyamuni Buddha.
Sera and Drepung-Sera, founded in 1419, is a monastery
of the Gelugpa order. Its many white buildings sit
at the base of a rocky hill. Gilded, bell-shaped gyamtschens
grace the roofs of many of the larger buildings. Drepung
used to have 8,000 monks who were taught in the traditions
of Vajrayana, Mahayana, and Sutrayana, the three vehicles
of Tibetan Buddhism.
Potala Palace-The 13-story Potala Palace is reputed
to contain 1,000 rooms and hundreds upon hundreds
of brilliant thangkas, frescoes, and images built
in an era when religious art was created anonymously
as a means of gaining merit for future lives. It's
one of the world's most extraordinary buildings and
completely covers the mountain it stands upon.
|
| Day 04 |
LHASA-GYANGTSE
(3990 M), 275 KMS, 8-9 HRS
Drive via Yamdrok, the Turquoise Lake to Gyangtse across
Kampa la pass 5050 m and Karo la (5045 m)passes. Visit
Kubum stupa and Pelkor Chode Monastery. |
| Day 05 |
GYANGTSE-SHALU-SHIGATSE
(3860 M), 90 KMS, 2 HRS
Drive to Shigatse. En route visit Shalu Monastery. Visit
Tashilhunpo Monastery, the seat of Panchen Lama who
is the 2nd in the Buddhist religious hierachy and Shigatse
Market. |
| Day 06 |
SHIGATSE-NGAMRING
(5220 M), 160 KMS, 6-7 HRS
Drive to Ngamring. En route visit Sakya Monastery. |
| Day 07 |
SAGA, 4280
M, 190 KMS , 7-8 HRS
The road follows south of the Pelgu-Tso, continues across
the plain with stunning Himalayan views. The route then
follows a narrow gorge before climbing to a pass and
dropping steeply down to a ferry crossing over the Yarlung
Tsangpo. |
| Day 08 |
PARYANG,
4750 M, 250 KMS, 8-9 HRS
From Saga it is 145 km to Zhongba. The road is good
and the trip can be completed in 4-5 hrs. There is also
a small monastery at the western end of town on a hill.
From Zhongba onwards the southern road deteriorates.
There is also danger of vehicles getting stuck. But
this section of the road has panoramic views of mountains
on either side of the road. |
| Day 09 |
LAKE MANASOROVAR,
4560 M, 260 KMS, 10 HRS
From Paryang to Lake Mansorovar is a long drive of 10
hrs or more. There will be several river crossings and
we drive past Mayum la pass (4600 M). The scenery is
stunningly beautiful with panoramic views of the Himalayas.
|
| Day 10 |
DARCHEN
(4560 M), 30 KM
About 30 kms north of Lake Manasorovar is Darchen, the
main gateway and the village. The monastery at Darchen,
Darchen Gon, is a part of the Drukpa sect. The two-story
monastery structure in the center of the town serves
as a trading post and shelter for pilgrims. Within the
dukhang assembly hall are new and old thangka paintings
and some statues, the main image being Sakyamuni. West
of the gompa is the Mani Lhakhang that has a large,
new mani prayer wheel. This is the site where the original
old flagpole (a darchen is a flagpole for prayer flags)
of Darchen was located. When beginning their kora pilgrimage
around Kailash, many pilgrims often circumambulate the
Darchen Gon monastery and the Mani Lhakhang before setting
out.
We organize yaks or ponies for the Kailash circuit
trek at Darchen.
|
| Day 11 |
KAILASH
CIRCUIT TREK - DIRAPHUK : (6 hrs)
This Kailash circuit covers 53 kms and can be done in
3 days. We head west in clockwise direction and after
a few kilometers the trail climbs up to a cairn at 4730
m from where the southern face of Mt. Kailash comes
to view. En route visit Tarboche where annual flagpole
raising ceremony takes place during Saga Dawa. |
| Day 12 |
DIRAPHUK
- ZUTRULPHUK , 4790, 6 hrs
Toady we cross Drolma la pass (5630 M) and Gauri Kund
Lake (5608 m) where Hindus worship and immerse themselves
in the icy waters of the lake. |
| Day 13 |
DARCHEN
- TIRDAPURI
The final end of the parikrama is an easy 2-3 hrs walk
down to where the river emerges on to the Barga plain.
We complete the 3 day circuit trek of Mt. Kailash and
drive to Tirdapuri where there is a hot spring. Pilgrimage
to Mt. Kailash is not complete without visiting Tirdapuri
for the Tibetan Buddhists. |
| Day 14 |
TIRDAPURI
- KHOJARNATH - PURANG
Visit Tirdapuri Monastery and the pilgrim circuit and
drive to Purang. En route visit Khojarnath Monastery.
|
| Day 15-16 |
PURANG-LAKE
MANASOROVAR (Chiu Gompa) and LAKE MANASORVAR
Rest day and excursion around the Lake. |
| Day 17 |
PARYANG
|
| Day 18 |
SAGA |
| Day 19 |
NYLAM, CAMP |
| Day 20 |
Across Friendship
Bridge to Kodari border where you will be met by our
Tibet Travels representative and driven to Kathmandu.
|
